New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-24
RUSSELL SAGE'S ORDEAL.
HIS STORY OF MISS MATTERNs DEALINGS.

Russell Sage the wttnessstand yesteroay hlcr'
noon and although the audience was limited to less than
score Of people. only of whom was OF the genter
sex, he appeared 10 take II terrible ordeal 1t was
hearing In the reference before Granville p Hawes ut
his Office, OF Miss L. Matterns $1,000 claim against
Mr. Sage her broker. The defence was that tho
money was not owing. but that, on the contrary,
similar amount due from the plaintiff to Mr. Sage
on account Of the transactions upon which the suit was
based 1t could not be the amount at Issue which made
Mr. Sage Perhaps 1t the fervid address OF
his counsel H. g. Bennett which made him Ill ut ease,
inopenng the defence Mr. Bennett spoke with tears
In his voice. and dropped It to pathetic whispers now and
again, II he were pleading before jury for the life OF
an innocent young cruelty led asray from the paths
OF rectitude by the other side
This lady, and counsel dramatically pointed to
Miss Mattern, who blushed and cast down her eyes
"ths lady introduced herself to him, appealed to him
to speculate for her-wthout margin" The last three
words were thrilling In their intensity He was moved
by that appeal he did speculate for her. buying and sell
Ing under her direction only several hundred shares OF
stock which resulted in profit to her Of $780, $500 OF
which she drew He told her at the time that he was no
broker but of he charged her commissions merely
because the board Of which he is member requires
It." Then In reference to the adys allegations he con-
tradicted the conversations she supposed she had
had with Mr.. Sage, showed how Mr..
Sage always dutifully carried out her orders,
and in the sale OF the Metropolitan bond actually paid
her more for 1t than he able TO seit for because he
had happened to tell her thought It worth moro
Then leaving the beaten path OF alleged facts the coun
sci softly ehaned: ave do not intend to charge the
lady with wfuly telling these stories; but halucina
tons she may have had. There many persons who
wish they doue something they might have DONE and
didn't do, and which by constantly dwelling upon, they
became impressed with the fact that they actually did
She says Mr. Sage told her that the Wabash Railroad
was flooded and the stock would not pay a dividend
Why. 1t Is notorious that at that time there was most
rain.'
WAS the gentleman summing up for defence !" Inter
rupted Miss Matterns counsel. No, he only opening
IT, he smngy replied and then went on to describe the
ladys motives and probable thoughts which governed
them, with all the boldness Of q modern novelist He
spoke again OF Miss Matterns nexcusabe conduct In
dragging before that the gentleman who had certain
Y done everything to befend her andsofty confessed his
belief that after the excitement OF this trial had all
passed away no one wouli coadonn tho lady more
strongly than she would condemn herself tho last word
OF this pathetic peroration dying away In whispered
words that In gentle gasps and were too low for
mortal ears.
All eyes then turned TO n tall man. with shrewd
brown face iriUged with snort brown beard that was
oath administered. lie took the Bible with trembling
hngers and there was a continual twchng about the
muscles OF hts mouth. lie wore dark tweed suit and
doubled soled boots and had the general ar OK
This was Russell Sage, the defendant Led by his
counsel he answered the questions pretty readily. and
twnked in the little blue eyes dreleye the painfully
cautious expression OF his face lie told how Miss Mat
aud identified the letters she had written 10 him There
not many OF them and they were all signed Re,
lie discretion In buying and selling stocks for her. but
had merely followed her orders and denied most OF the
rst ntmaton he had that she at all dissatisfied was
tDe following letter. dated April IT, 1888
DEAR Mr. s,oEi would like to have statement OF nv
Broadway gave you bond for 1000 Of the Meropol
p I1S TAX care 81 or me- also depo.Ss $50 and
sui atr more was put up there or You TO invest dor
know have any Iedress for II or not You have always
%Snsy was lost in and should Ike some Kind settle
int entionaly wrong mo- nevertheless your
been what thlnk just ana do not want yoq to sqnder
have bond back at a.s . have lot tas $50
and have ony what work for daily II
:s sTs 81
aud oDlge. Respectfully. S. l. AArTEN
Mr. Sage testified that the bond in question given
TO him as margin, and letter In proof OF this was
200 shares OF stock for her,
and owing To depreciaonon them tnero was deficiency
in her account lie drew her attention to several times
aud suggested that tho account had better be discon
tiuued and she then brought him the bond The Items
OF the accounts were gone over and Mr. sage was Turned
10 Miss Matterns counsel for crossexaminaton-
Mr. Van vechten-w when did Miss Matern rst call upon
you A.-somo time In 1850. - -
ostas the whole OF tho conversation that took place
Any recollection that she said she desired help her
in purchasing stocks SAID that
bought few stocks friends account she SAID
%ss an afst aSd had an aged father ssn al or Lam
easter PENN who was dependent upon nss ~ part Tor
0she at that time an entire str.nssI Al hal seen
o--Dd she offer deposit any marsinI ANo sir, she
consented to buy and sell for her from purely
o..from purely charitable motlvesi A-Pureiy from
o.-FTom what A.-From sympathy. thought she was
putting forth effort TO support herself and her father and
QAro you habit of doing busine s. in that wayl
again.
Mr.. Sage extremely ncrv Gus. and answered the
questions In quick orky manner that rendered half he
said unntellgible To further questions he said that
sometimes as many as fifteen twenty ladies' DAY
came him with such requests lie bought fifty shares
OF Erie Miss Maern, and June bought another
fifty shares He sold 1t on June 10. and made her a
profit OF about $500 And the same charitable motives
Influenced him throughout his entire lings with Miss
Mattern.
eAnd the same motives have prompted You Ito to nd bal
OF trade and tho deprcc alton OF property have sustained
o? charitable motive, did not lead you to waive the
claim Al have not pressed the clin Out woud 10 glah
1850 and 4OT 1852 da ySn n see , as5 a.
h r once 81 don't ter %" the Studio
wa or was summer Or Winter o Know o %ss aSouf
give Matiern Information thai she
had requested.
Tho Witness did not remember how many flights or
stairs he up, and there many other things
which tho lawyer asked him that no could not remom6er
but he quite clear 10 the conversation. Miss
Mattern and her brother were interested In
Rochester and Pttsburg stock which was rapidly 40
Ing down. aud Miss Matern wrote hun that Common was
the head OF the deal and she would be glad no would
get her trustworthy information about the stock
Miss Mattern whispered 10 her counsel and Mr.. Sage
neryousy answered that he could not ecoect calling on
MissMaern In West Fifty t-st In the summer or 1881,
he didn't stay there He was next
asked about Wabash stock the counsel desiring 10 show
he carried heavy blocks of IL and was familiar with
the market ut time when II was depreclating.
aud therefore his duty 10 sell Miss Materns stock
and her from loss Referee HAYES ruled that as he
had discretionary powers according TO the evidence
adduccd the matter was Irrelevant -.
Then counsel went back tho Metropolitan bond said
been left for safe keeping and Mr. Sage said she
proposed to give margin because her account was
uiuU habt